Foursquare iPhone App Review.

At first, I must admit I didn't get all this check-in frenzy. It was as if everybody wanted the world to know where they are. And when you see check-ins like: at home, taking a shower, you start thinking that this is probably one of the stupidest inventions ever. Or, at least, that's what I thought. Until I downloaded Foursquare on my phone.

How to use it

In my world, when you say check-in, you say Foursquare. There are a lot of other apps that do the same thing. Now, you can also check-in straight from Facebook. But for me, it all began with Foursquare. As it probably did with most of you.

Now, depending on how you use it, Foursquare can be just another fun app, or a brilliant one. The basic use of Foursquare is checking-in wherever you are. And all you need to do this is an internet connection. The rest is as simple as it gets: after allowing Foursquare to detect your location, every time you try to check-in, it will show you what places are near your location. If you find the place you're at in the list, just check in. If not, you can be the first one to add the place to the Foursquare map. And that's it.

More than meets the eye

But, if you explore Foursquare a bit more, you'll soon realize that this is just the beginning. Besides being able to add photos, comments, list the people you're with at a specific venue, and share all this information on various social networks, Foursquare can also be the only guide you need when visiting a new place. Because all the tips and comments you and other people leave, can be seen by other people when they visit the same place. You can leave your mark on every venue you visit.

So, let's say you're in a new city, surrounded by all sorts of restaurants and cafes, and don't really know which one to pick. Well, that's the perfect time to use Foursquare. Explore places nearby, and see what other people's thoughts are about them. Find out interesting tips concerning the type of products served, their price or their quality. And this doesn't only apply to restaurants and cafes. Foursquare has a huge venue database including bookstores, museums, malls, hotels, parks, and anything else you could ever visit or use, whether you're taking a trip to a foreign country, or are just out exploring your city. So huge in fact that other apps in the AppStore make use of this database to display venue information and location for their customers.

Why check-in?

What's the incentive to do all this, you might ask yourself. Well, first of all, it's the joy of recommending the place where you ate the best sandwich, drank the most delicious coffee or seen the most beautiful painting. Second of all, the more you, and others share tips, the easier it is to enjoy a new place without taking any chances that can turn your entire trip into a total fiasco. Plus, you also get all sorts of badges, awards and titles the more you use Foursquare. And these are not just for your Foursquare friends to see. Because in some places, you will actually get discounts for being the mayor of that place on Foursquare. How cool is that?

And that's still not all. Foursquare helps you keep track of the places you visited and liked. You can let your friends know about an event you're attending right now in a certain place. Create lists to remember to visit other places nearby. Let your mom know where you are when she worries you're not home yet. Share the great food you're eating, the drinks you're having, the things you're seeing, the experiences you're living. All with a single check-in, and a single app: Foursquare.